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Care Packages Arrive for Eisenhower Sailors
Story Number: NNS090331-19
Release Date: 3/31/2009 11:07:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Kenneth R. Hendrix
USS EISENHOWER, At Sea (NNS) -- A Florida-based group connected with Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) March 24 with an abundant supply of hand-made clothing accessories.
The Ships Project for Troops Support – "Warming America's Troops One Stitch at a Time" sent six care packages full of hand-knitted and stitched watch caps, scarves and booties.
Ellen Harpin, the organization's project founder, said after Sept. 11 she sent letters to ships she was knew were deployed and mentioned she was knitter.
According to Harpin, a Sailor aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) responded by asking if she would mind making her a pair of slippers.
"I also made her a scarf. Then a couple of the gals in her shop wanted slippers, and then it was the whole berthing," Haprin shared. "I asked several friends online from a knitting group if they'd help out. We completed and sent sixty pairs of slippers in three months."
Over time, Harpin said the knitting group grew and ultimately shipped more than 326,000 handmade "hugs from home" to service members aboard ships.
Fire Controlman 1st Class (SW/AW) Matthew Blythe of combat systems department, CS-5 division, and Fire Controlman 1st Class (SW) Sandra Snyder, CS-7 division, took time out of their busy schedules to hand out the gifts to Sailors on Ike's aft mess decks.
"A woman by the name of Ellen Harpin, who sent the care packages, said she receives about four thousand hats each month from more than eighteen hundred volunteers who help make them," Snyder said. "This is a wonderful gift the Sailors aboard Ike are receiving today, and this shows someone actually put the time and effort out of their day to make these."
"I'm surprised by the big turnout down here," Blythe said. "I wasn't expecting a crowd like this, and everyone I've talked to has been shocked that they're free and are in a bit of shock that someone would take the time to hand-make something like this for us."
Both Blythe and Snyder said knitted caps were a big morale boost for the Sailors.
"I've seen a lot of people with smiles on their faces," Snyder said. "And, everyone is really liking that it's free stuff and colorful."
Culinary Specialist Seaman Tyron Sullins from the supply department, S-2 division, said he hasn't received anything from home since Ike deployed and that it was nice to know that people back home are thinking about the crew and their well-being.
"These hats are hip, and I like them because they are warm, and now I have something to wear for hat day," Sullins said. "I really don't have much of a family to make me a hat like this, so for me this is really cool, and it makes feel appreciated for the work I do here."
A handful of Sailors questioned what could they do with knit caps, while deployed in the Arabian Sea, but Sailors like Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Daniel Lopez of aircraft intermediate maintenance department, IM-3 division, said he could make good use of the knit caps during this time of year.
"I picked an all-red hat because that's my favorite color," Lopez said. "I'll be using it in my shop, the communication navigation shop because it's all like 50 degrees down there."
Every item was tagged with a self-adhesive label with the organization's point of contact information on it.
"This is by far one of the greatest ideas I've seen. It goes to show that people back home really do care about what's going on over here," Lopez said. "I really like that, and it makes us feel good."
Harpin also shard that her husband is a Navy veteran from the Vietnam War-era, and it's her goal to make sure those who are severing for America never feel like they don't matter.
"We're always happy to receive notes from service members, and even if we don't hear a word and often we don't, we still know we're making a difference," Harpen added.
The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is underway for a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the on-going rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime operations and operate in international waters across the globe.
For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn69/.
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